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FGF21 holds promise to become a powerful drug in the treatment of a wide array of chronic human diseases, demonstrating that novel and potentially better medicines are within reach.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a hot target within the diabetes and obesity research and drug discovery. Known to function as an endocrine hormone with documented beneficial metabolic effects, FGF21 has been established as a viable, and excellent drug candidate molecule for therapeutic treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease associated with obesity.

The iLite® FGF21 Assay Ready Cells are genetically engineered reporter gene cells responsive to FGF21 by specific and proportional expression of Firefly Luciferase. As transmembrane protein β-Klotho has been identified as the necessary co-receptor able to permit FGF21 mediated activation of FGFRs in vitro and promote FGF21 action in vivo, the receptor chain FGFR1c in this new and improved cell line is overexpressed on the surface together with the co-factor β-Klotho which has been genetically optimized to enhance sensitivity.

FGF21 holds promise to eventually become a powerful drug in the treatment of a wide array of chronic human diseases, demonstrating that novel and potentially better medicines are within the reach.